asked the hon. Member for St. George's-in-the-East, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether he can now give any further information with regard to the proposed new buildings and improvements on Calton Hill, Edinburgh; and whether he can say what the Edinburgh City Council propose to do?

The First Commissioner regrets that he is not yet in a position to give any further information.

Can the hon. Gentleman say when he will be able to do so?

I hope to be able before long to give the hon. Member the information he desires.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he can now arrange to have a penny postage between this country and France?

I regret that I am not in a position to make a statement.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say when he will be able to give a reply?

No, I can not.

Is the matter engaging the right hon. Gentleman's attention?

It is certainly engaging my attention.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if his attention has been called to cases in which the Land Court, in fixing an equitable rent, had made large reductions in rent because the buildings were much requiring repair; whether he has made inquiry to find out if the landlords in question had, on an average, during the five years before, spent on maintenance, repairs, insurance, and management of each of the holdings one-eighth of the rental paid by the tenants; if he has not done so, will he have such inquiry made; whether, under the Income Tax provisions, one-eighth part of the rent paid by agricultural tenants is deducted from the sum in calculating the landlord's income and the landlord relieved of tax accordingly; and if the landlord is entitled to exemption and, at the same time, to appropriate the money to his own use?

I am not aware of the cases to which the first part of the hon. Member's question refers. A uniform allowance for Income Tax purposes of one-eighth of the annual value of lands is made in respect of "Repairs, etc.," irrespective of the conditions of tenancy and of whether the landlord actually executes the repairs. A further allowance up to 25 per cent. (inclusive of the one-eighth) of the annual value is made only on production of evidence as to the actual expenditure. Both allowances are statutory.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether his attention has been called to the illegal trawling off Ballinskelligs and, in particular, to the fact that on Sunday, 9th February, a trawler was working close to the shore; that another cable has been broken near Scariff Island; and whether, in view of the fact that the Prohibited Trawling Areas Act was passed three years ago, he can say why it has not been put into force in Ireland?

The Department have not received a report of illegal trawling having been carried on near the shore in the neighbourhood of Ballinskelligs on the date mentioned. If such illegal trawling took place the person observing it should have furnished the Department with particulars, when the case would have received consideration with a view to the institution of legal proceedings. The provisions of the Trawling in Prohibited Areas Prevention Act have been put in force in Ireland. The Coastguard at Waterville are in possession of forms on which formal reports of cases to which the Act is applicable can be made to the Department. The Department are not aware of the injury to the cable referred to in the question.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that in 1912 a number of Punjabi farmers realised their property in India with a view to accepting agricultural holdings in the Argentine Republic, and on reaching Buenos Ayres were not permitted to land and were brought on to London in a state of destitution; whether the India Office took any steps to secure for them redress; whether they have been repatriated; whether the India Office is aware that another party of thirty-seven Punjabi farmers recently arrived in New Zealand from the Fiji Islands and were to leave for the Argentine in December; and whether he will cause inquiries to be made with a view to ascertaining what has become of them?

The Secretary of State for India has no information as to the Punjabis, reported to have gone to New Zealand, but is making inquiries. With regard to the first part of the question, a large number of Punjabis went to the Argentine last year. Fifty-three of these, who had been allowed to land there but had failed to get work, came on to England in a destitute condition, and were repatriated to India by the India Office.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the lands of Pottle, Lossett, county Cavan, containing some 88 statute acres, have been inspected by the Estates Commissioners with a view to purchase; what, if any, offer was made to the owner; will he state how many evicted tenants remain to be dealt with in county Cavan, stating the probable date of their reinstatement; and whether a genuine effort will be made to get this work done before the spring is over?

As regards the first and second paragraphs of the question, the hon. Member is referred to the reply given to his question on this subject on the 20th March, 1912. Up to the present 103 county Cavan evicted tenants have been reinstated in their former holdings or provided with other holdings, and there are now only seven cases outstanding. These cases will be further inquired into by the Estates Commissioners in connection with the distribution of such untenanted land as the Commissioners may acquire, but they are unable at present to say when holdings may be allotted to these tenants.

Will the hon. Gentleman tell the when they will be able to give me some information as to this matter and will he ask the Estates Commissioners, to proceed with the reinstatement without further delay?

I will represent what my hon. Friend says to the Chief Secretary.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether a Government official from London has been recently, or is now, carrying on a secret investigation in Dublin Castle and in the Four Courts; whether a Report, or the result, will be communicated to Parliament; whether he will ascertain and state the matter upon which two officials of the Probate Court and the Chief Registrar of that Court obtained counsel's opinion in December, 1911, and with reference to which Mr. Norris Goddard, sessional Crown Solicitor, subsequently came to London and consulted Lord Atkinson; and will he say why that matter has not been taken up by the Director of Public Prosecutions in Ireland?

My right hon. Friend is informed that one of the Treasury officers of accounts has been in Dublin recently making a purely financial inquiry into the mode of accounting for fees received from the public for copying at the Four Courts and into the working of the Finance Branch of the Royal Irish Constabulary Office. The inquiry, like all Departmental inquiries, was confidential but not secret; and as it was for Departmental purposes only, it will be unnecessary to communicate the results to Parliament. The Chief Registrar of the Probate Court did not obtain counsel's opinion on any matter in December, 1911, nor has he any idea what the hon. Member is referring to. Mr. Norris Goddard states that he knows nothing of the opinion of counsel referred to, and that he never went to London to consult Lord Atkinson on any matter connected with the Probate Court; nor has he ever held any communication with his Lordship on such a subject. No question of a prosecution by anyone arises.

Has the Chief Secretary got the documents in this matter examined by anybody but those officials?

I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the Treasury a question, of which I have given him private notice, namely: If, in view of the present position of the questions in discussion between the universities and the Treasury, the Scottish universities can count upon the payment of the Treasury Grant forthwith, and also can rely that the full Grant of £40,000 will be made next year?

I am afraid I can make no statement at present on the subject except that I am in communication with the University authorities.

Have they not satisfied the right hon. Gentleman?

I think the present position is, I have asked them certain questions and I have not yet received their answer.